Optical serial link

Abstract

An optical serial link may be formed of an optical transceiver and a reflective wavelength coupler. The coupler may reflect light beams of different wavelengths using an elliptical reflector and a dispersive element.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An optical serial link comprising: 
       a first and a second optical fiber array;  
       an elliptical reflector optically aligned with said arrays;  
       a dispersive element aligned with said elliptical reflector to reflect a light beam from the first to the second optical fiber array; and  
       an optical transceiver optically coupled to one of said arrays.  
     
     
       2. The link  claim 1  including a support that supports said elliptical reflector and dispersive element as a unit. 
     
     
       3. The link of  claim 2  wherein said support includes an optical block that optically couples said elliptical reflector and said dispersive element. 
     
     
       4. The link of  claim 3  wherein said optical block is a transparent solid block of material. 
     
     
       5. The link of  claim 4  including a securement system for securing an output fiber in said second array to said support. 
     
     
       6. The link of  claim 5  wherein said securement system is arranged to align an end of an optical fiber with said focal point. 
     
     
       7. The link of  claim 1  wherein said dispersive element is aligned to deflect a plurality of beams of different wavelengths onto a single fiber. 
     
     
       8. The link of  claim 1  wherein said dispersive element is a micro-electromechanical structure including a plurality of mirrors. 
     
     
       9. The link of  claim 8  wherein said beams are directed to at least two different focal points by said micro-electromechanical structure. 
     
     
       10. The link of  claim 9  wherein said micro-electromechanical structure includes a plurality of mirrors whose angle of tilt is selectively controllable. 
     
     
       11. A method comprising: 
       receiving an electrical signal;  
       converting said electrical signal into a light beam;  
       reflecting said light beam from an elliptical reflector; and  
       reflecting said light beam from said elliptical reflector towards an optical fiber.  
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11  including reflecting said light beams from said elliptical reflector to at least two focal points. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11  further including securing an optical fiber having an end and securing said end at said focal point. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13  including securing said optical fiber in a V-shaped groove and clamping said fiber in said V-shaped groove. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11  wherein reflecting said beams from said elliptical reflector includes reflecting said beams using a micro-electromechanical structure including a plurality of mirrors. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15  including reflecting said beams from said elliptical reflector to a plurality of focal points. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16  including aligning an optical fiber at each of said focal points. 
     
     
       18. An optical system comprising: 
       a host channel adapter;  
       a target channel adapter; and  
       a serial link coupling said adapters, said link including a reflective wavelength coupler.  
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 18  wherein said coupler includes an elliptical reflector that receives a light beam from one of said adapters at a first focus of said reflector and reflects said beam to a second focus on said reflector. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 18  wherein said coupler includes a micro-electromechanical structure that selectively focuses said beams onto one or more of a plurality of output channels. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 20  including a controller and said structure includes a plurality of mirrors, said controller controls the orientation of said mirrors in said micro-electromechanical structure to select the output channel for each of said beams. 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 18  wherein said serial link includes an optical transmitter and an optical receiver coupled to said reflective wavelength coupler. 
     
     
       23. The system of  claim 22  wherein said transmitter and said receiver are integrated into the same module. 
     
     
       24. The system of  claim 23  wherein said optical receiver is coupled to an electrical interface that converts optical signals to electrical signals. 
     
     
       25. The system of  claim 24  wherein said electrical interface is coupled to a processor-based system.